Folding table



May 15, .1923. Mssmfi J. W. BEREMAN FOLDI NG TABLE Filed Jan. ll,l 1921 INVENTOR.

A TT ORNE Y.

i To all whom it may concern:

Patented May 15, 1923.

Q' UMTED STATES.

Lestat PATENT OFFICE.

j '4..'r`oH'ii WoRnING annaman,, or WIC'HITA, KANsAs.

Application filed anuary`11,41921. Serial No. ``436,495.

Be it known that I, J oHN WORLING Bunn- MAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of'Vichita, in the county of Sedgwck and State of VKansas, have inventecl certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescriptiomsucli as will enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains to make 'and use the same. j

`This invention relates to folding tables, and more particularly to operating tables forosteopathic andmassage work. i j

The objects `of the. invention are: to provide a table of the kind that may readily be folded and unfolded; that when in position for useshall have a firmness and rigidity equal to that ofa non-folding table; to provide a table in which the legs shall be automatically folded against the top when the operatonfolds thehalves of. the table together; land finally,*to provide a folding table that when folcled, resembles a sample case and may conveniently be carried by handles provided Aon the table. p

Reference is 'now had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Fig. l shows in side elevat'ion a`` table embodiying'the invention and set up in position for'use; p

r'Fig. 2 is a perspective of the table as folded `for transportation `4Fig-3 is a detail inelevation and section, of one pair of truss-rod links land contguous parts; i

Fig. 4: is a plan view ofthe same'parts;

Fig.'5 is a detail of the inner face of one leg and its connected parts, the leg being in open position and the half ofthe table in longitudinal section, inverted;

Fig. 6 is a plan view ofl some ofthe parts shown by Fig. 5, the table leg being in section- Fig. 7 is a detail similar to Fig. 5, showing the leg and its connecting links in partly folded positions;

Fig. 8 is a detail of one of the main slotted links, detached; Fig. 9 is a longitudnal section of the table as fully folded, one leg being partly* broken away to expose other parts.

Referring more in detail to the draw-` ings:-

The table top is divided transversely nto two equal sections, l and 1. Each section 1 end crossbar 3, and the `|two longitudinal bars 6, one of which is shown in Fig. 6. Crossbars 3 ofthe two- 'sections are pivotally counected by a pair of hinges 4, of any suitable design. lined with ametal strip 7, the full length thereof, to protect the wood of said bars 6 from abrasion by the metal links.

The upper end of each wooden table-leg S `coinprises an outer-end crossbar`2, an inner- Each longitudinal frame-bar 6 is i' is provided with a metal butt` iwliichfis H pivotally' secured to' the adjacent framebar 6 by a `bolt orpin 9. For each leg 8 I provide an inclined' metal brace comprising two similar members 10, ll, connected by a pivot 12. Member 10 is pivotally connected to bar 6 (and wear-strip 7) by a pin or bolt 14. 'Each brace member l1` is provided with an outwardly projecting stud 16.`

'A main slotted link 17 is disposed between brace member 11 and wear-strip 7; One end of link 17 is connected to the metal leg-butt 5 with a pivot-pin 18. The opposite end of said link is provided with twoslots-a long slot a and a short slot Z), both of which terminate near the end of the link. The short slot b receivesV and guides the above mentionecl stud 16, carried by brace-member ll. The long slot a receives' and guides a headed pin 19 mounted on the end of a`` truss-rodmember 20-which is'secured by rivets2lv to a U vicled for each ofthe four truss-rods, one for each leg of the table. Each strut 24 is connected pvotally to itscompanion strut by a pin or bolt 27,'as shown on Figs. 3 and 11.

The outer end of each truss-rod member 20 hasits free end cut obliquely as shown at c on Fig. 7. This oblique face contacts with the lower edge of abrace-member 11., as shown, when the leg 8 is extended. Thus, the combined truss structure, including the bar 20, forms arigid brace for the brace 10- ll. whereby each leg 8 will be held firmly in relation to the top when the table is in use. The truss-rods and struts also have their usual function with respect to the weight suplported by the median portion of the ta e.

To fold upl the table, it is placed upside down, and either end thereof is lifted. This movement causes the four truss-reds 22 to slide toward theends of the table, thepins 19 sliding in the slots a. tLinks 17V are held against motion awa-y from the table top by the studs 16 held by the respeetivebracemembers Vll; hence'eachmember 1'1 is forced down by the end c of bar 20, flexing each brace at pivotl,, this movement draws in' the leg 8 thru the bracememberljVhen the part 20 has advanced as far as is shown in Fig. 7, the bracevlO-ll and leg 8y havebeen fleXed to the angle there shown. Fromthis p'ointion, the legs Will drop by v gravity. l:lW-hen the table isfully folded, the

. ,working parts Will be disposed as shown by Fi0n9.` rThis automatic folding of the table legs is a O'reat convenienceto the operator.

:Each pair of legsSis provi'dediivith a I suitable cross-braceQS, the same being seen only in section. M i i lVhenfolded together, this table vis conveniently carried by means of a pair ofhandles, 29, permanentlymounted on the sections. i

VWhere builtvfor'some uses, the tab-le top Will of course be padded, but it is thought unnecessary to' i represent such padding in the drawings. a j, v

Having described my invention, 1I,elaim, and desire to secureaby Letters Patent:

1; In a folding table: arecessed top section, aleg pivoted thereon to fold into the recess,,an inclined brace having a break-j Joint, a vmain llnkvpvoted to the butt. of

said legonear the leg-pivot, `means to restrain'said link from swinginglawayxfrom the table top, a truss-rochhaving oneflend engaging said brace by contact, means on said link 'to guide. the engaging end of ,the

ltruss-rod, and a strntpivoted on the inner endof the top section in line with the trussrod; said truss-rod being pivotally` connected to'the free endvofsai strut, and said inclined braceeonnecting said leg with` the scribed.` v .l

2. In,laV folding table, tWo hingedly-connected recessed top sections, a pair'jof struts vtop section of the table; 2substantially as depivotally connected to the inner ends ofthe sections .on'transverseaxes the outer ends of saidustrutsbeing pivotally connected togetlierjnapair of truss-rfods connected re- Vspectively to the struts adjacent lthe said privotal connection betweenthe struts; a table leg p'ivoted to each top section, a toggle brace connecting each leg with the top secpivot, said linkhavingtwo slots ;.therein; a f

toggle brace connecting saidrleglto the top section, a studonthe inner ;member of said brace, taking into one ofsaid slots, a trussrod, a pin thereon, playing in the other slot in said link,4 the end of sadtruss-rod engagingisaid brace'member to .actuatesame in one direeton and to form. a-istopv 1n the other, and a strut pvoted on the'nner .e nd

ofthe top section, the. free' end of said strut being pivotally'connected to said truss-rod; substantially asdescribed.v

ll-;In a folding table, Aa, pairhingedlyconnected, vreeessed,t )p sections, a par of legs p'ivotedvonwthe corners ofeach section, a toggle brace connecting .eachlegto lits top section, tWo pairs of struts pivotally mounted at the inner ends of the top sections in aline-' mentfwith the table legs, pivotal connections between the struts ofea-ehpair7 vfour truss-rods pivotally connected with. the respective struts and extending toward therespective legs, andmeans =`Whereby the trussrods will fiex said braces: when the table [is being folded` fromopen position, .for initiat-V ing an automatic folding motion of the legs; a

substantiallyas described. V v J. -WORLING i snREMAN'. :lVitI iessesvv''*fb` I, 1 v' M. Y. Ci-IaRLEs,,- i VL,Nnrnneoond v 

